Cook book

When on 88, Alastair Cook completed 7,000 runs in Test cricket and became the youngest to do so.

Here’s the list of top five youngest batsmen to reach 7,000 runs:

Alastair Cook (Eng) — 27 years 347 days, in December 2012

Sachin Tendulkar (Ind) — 28 years 193 days, in November 2001

Graeme Smith (SA) — 29 years 137 days, in June 2010

Jacques Kallis (SA) — 29 years 170 days, in April 2005

Mahela Jayawardene — 30 years 198 days, in December 2007

When on 53, Cook (410 runs in the series till that time) went past the record of Ted Dexter (409 runs in 1961-62) of scoring most runs in a Test series by an English captain in India. Cook now has 493 runs in the series so far.

The 165-run opening stand between Cook and Nick Compton was the first century opening stand at the Eden Gardens in the last 10 years, since West Indians Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds put up 172, back in November 2002.

Cook (136*) registered his 23rd Test hundred, which is the most number of centuries scored by an England batsman in the history of Test cricket.

Cook’s century was also his 13th away from home. The only Englishman to have more hundreds away from home is Ken Barrington (14) while Walter Hammond, Colin Cowdrey and now Cook have 13 each.